UEFA: Injured Mbappé doubtful for Champions League, A major blow to PSG
Kylian Mbappé hobbled off the pitch after a clumsy tackle during PSG’s French Cup final victory at the Stade de France on Friday.
Paris Saint-Germain may have to do without Kylian Mbappé when they resume their Champions League campaign in August after the star striker suffered a sprained ankle during their French Cup final win.
Mbappé was forced to limp off the pitch on Friday after he was brought down by a clumsy challenge from Saint-Etienne captain Loïc Perrin in the 26th minute.
On Saturday, PSG said tests had revealed “a sprained right ankle with significant ligament damage”, casting doubt on Mbappé’s presence when the Champions League resumes.
PSG went on to win the bad-tempered final against Saint-Etienne, courtesy of a lone goal by Brazil’s Neymar. But the victory was overshadowed by Mbappé’s exit.
The French champions face Olympique Lyonnais in the League Cup final next Friday and have a Champions League quarter-final against Atalanta coming up next month.
Friday’s fixture at the Stade de France marked the return of French football after a four-month suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Unlike the rest of Europe’s top leagues, which eventually restarted despite the health crisis, France’s Ligue 1 ended prematurely in March with PSG crowned champions for the seventh time in eight years.
The Qatar-owned club have now won two of a possible four trophies this season, but their real objective is to clinch their first Champions League title.
Despite spending record sums to snap up the likes of Neymar and Mbappé, the Parisians are yet to go past the quarter-final stage of European club football’s premier tournament.
(France 24)
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